Kiln structure

ABSTRACT

The top wall of a kiln has a plurality of bores extending from the outer surface to the firing chamber in the kiln. A shoulder projects inwardly into each bore adjacent the firing chamber to support a closure and/or a burner.

United States Patent Inventor Eberhard Wolf lbbenburen. Germany Appl. No. 858,395 Filed Sept. 16, 1969 Patented June 29, 1971 Assignee Keller Ofenbau GmbH Laggenbeck, Germany Priority Sept. 18, 1968 Germany P 17 83 012.5

KILN STRUCTURE 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 263/46, 1 10/1 A lnt.Cl F27d 1/00 Primary Examiner-John J. Camby At!0rney Kelman and Berman ABSTRACT: The top wall ofa kiln has a plurality of bores extending from the outer surface to the firing chamber in the kiln. A shoulder projects inwardly into each bore adjacent the firing chamber to support a closure and/or a burner.

13 109 In 3 I 1 7 -11/ \I 1 e KILN STRUCTURE The present invention relates to kilns, particularly to furnaces for firing ceramics. The burners for such kilns are usually mounted in bores in the top wall of the kiln. A plurality of bores of circular or rectangular cross section are spaced along the firing chamber, and a requisite number of burners are placed into the bores, depending on the firing requirements.

In conventional kilns of this type, a closure is placed over each bore which is not used for a burner, the closure being flush with the outer surface of the top wall of the kiln. This arrangement causes considerable heat losses from the firing chamber since the closures on top of the unoccupied bores do not adequately seal the firing chamber from the atmosphere. This is particularly true for those bores outside the actual firing zone and not in use at the time but which are provided so that the effective length of the kiln may be extended in case of need.

It is the primary object of this invention to overcome these disadvantages and to provide a kiln with bores which may be effectively sealed.

This and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the invention with shoulder means projecting inwardly into the bores in a portion of the bores adjacent the firing chamber.

3A closure is supported on the shoulder means in the bores not occupied by a burner, and the burner or burners are supported on the shoulder means in the other bores.

The shoulder means may comprise individual shoulders projecting from the walls of the bores but preferably the shoulder means are continuous shoulders encircling the bores, such as an annular shoulder in the bores.

According to another preferred feature, the shoulder means have a horizontal support surface and a diverging sidewall extending from the support surface towards the firing chamber and flaring outwardly towards the chamber.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a now preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. I is a vertical section of a bore according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a like section of the bore, containing an insulating seal;

FIG. 3 is another like section of the bore, showing a burner supported therein; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section showing the top wall of a kiln with a plurality of bores according to the invention.

In the drawing, like reference numerals designate like parts functioning in a like manner in all figures.

The top wall 1 of the kiln has an outer surface la and afiring chamber 2 extends below the top wall along the length thereof. The top wall defines a plurality of like bores 3 extending from the outer surface la towards the firing chamber 2. Up to a portion of bore adjacent the firing chamber, each bore has a smooth cylindrical wall. An annular shoulder 4 projects radially inwardly into the bore in the bore portion adjacent the firing chamber. As shown, the shoulder has a horizontal support surface and a diverging sidewall 8 extending from the support surface towards the firing chamber 2 and flaring outwardly towards the chamber to form a funnel.

If only a part of the firing chamber is in use (right side of FIG. 4), the other bores must be covered to keep the heat in the firing chamber. Such unoccupied bores are, therefore, closed and sealed in the manner best shown in FIG. 2. As appears therein, a closure 5 is supported on the shoulder 4, which makes it possible to fill the rest of the bore with an insulating mass or plug 6, for instance of asbestos, to seal the firing chamber efiectively against the atmosphere. If desired and as shown in FIG. 2, the insulating mass or plug may be covered by an additional closure 9.

As shown in FIG. 3, the shoulder 4 alternatively serves to support a burner 7 of refractory material. The illustrated burner uses gaseous or liquid fuel supplied through nozzle assembly 11 to a mixing stage where the fuel is mixed with air supplied through pipe 13. The radially arranged baffles 14 will soften the impact of the flame and distribute its heat.

Obviously, the bores could be rectangular and the shoulder 4 of corresponding configuration, instead of annular.

I claim:

1. A kiln defining a firing chamber and having a top wall, the top having an outer surface and defining a plurality of bores extending from the outer surface towards the firing chamber, shoulder means projecting inwardly into said bores in a portion of the bores adjacent the firing chamber, a closure supported on the shoulder means in at least one of the bores, an insulating mass in each bore having a closure mounted therein, the insulating mass being supported on said closure, and a burner supported on the shoulder means in at least one of the bores.

2. The kiln of claim I, wherein the shoulder means is an annular shoulder.

3. The kiln of claim 1, wherein the shoulder means have a horizontal support surface and a diverging sidewall extending from the support surface towards the firing chamber and flaring outwardly towards said chamber. 

1. A kiln defining a firing chamber and having a top wall, the top having an outer surface and defining a plurality of bores extending from the outer surface towards the firing chamber, shoulder means projecting inwardly into said bores in a portion of the bores adjacent the firing chamber, a closure supported on the shoulder means in at least one of the bores, an insulating mass in each bore having a closure mounted therein, the insulating mass being supported on said closure, and a burner supported on the shoulder means in at least one of the bores.
 2. The kiln of claim 1, wherein the shoulder means is an annular shoulder.
 3. The kiln of claim 1, wherein the shoulder means have a horizontal support surface and a diverging sidewall extending from the support surface towards the firing chamber and flaring outwardly towards said chamber. 